Description
Leadership is an integral part of what doctors do.
All physicians lead, not just those with official leadership titles, such as CMO or Chief of Surgery. If leadership can be defined as influencing thought and behavior to achieve desired results, then clearly it isn't something physicians work toward only as a later-career goal. Leadership is a skillset physicians practice every day. Whether persuading a patient to stop smoking, a lab to return speedy results, or a surgical team to understand what needs to happen in the OR, physicians lead. Leadership is baked into the job.
In fact, we already look to physicians as leaders. We expect them to make critical healthcare decisions, inspire treatment teams, influence patients' behaviors, communicate impeccably, and be exemplars of professional conduct. Few roles in society carry more built-in leadership expectations then that of physician.
And yet, most physicians receive little focused training in leadership. While clini
